So our water heater is leaking. It's a gas unit and around 50 or so gallons I guess.

Water is coming out from one of the three fittings up top. Is this a standard, cut the cpvc, unscrew, teflon tape new fitting, new cpvc and glue, and now Don can take a hot shower.. type of deal?

I would think. Are you able to determine why this started leaking? Seems unusual to just start suddenly.

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83 SD

84 CD

Typically there is a steel nipple (about 2 inches) that goes into the top of the tank - they like to rust and corrosion starts the leak... I've not seen a CPVC fitting on any of them yet?!

Normally a steel nipple connects a copper flexible tube to a rigid copper pipe. The nipples like to leak but I'd think you could disassemble, clean the threads removing all the rusty gunk and then use teflon tape and a NEW nipple in place of the old rusted one. You can buy a kit for the flexible copper tubing at Lowes or HD, but if the threads on top of the tank are rusted out... you may be out of luck.

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1987 Mercedes 300SDL; SOLD
1985 Mercedes 300D; SOLD
2006 Honda Pilot - wife's ride; 122K;
1995 Toyota Land Cruiser - 3X locked; 182K

How old is the heater and where is it? I know in FL they stick them in some stupid places, like in the attic...where a big leak is sure to cause damage.

If its 10ish years old replace it.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Try that approach. Replace the metal nipple on the leaking fitting. It won't cost much, even if you do end up replacing the tank.

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1984 300TD

its weird. The pilot went out three days ago and I relit it. Then yesterday morning I was in the garage before leaving and I noticed water streaming down the side. I thought to myself.. hmm thats not normal and shut it off.

there is cpvc coming off the brass fitting up top which is then fitted to the tank.

You can extend the life of water heaters by replacing the anode when it gets this, and before the tank begins to rust.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

It has a brass valve up top, that then has a CPCV pipe that just drops over the side? If that's it, then that is the temperature/pressure valve. It opens when the temperature or pressure in the tank gets over a certain point. If you have noticed an increase in water pressure lately, this may have brought on the leak, or if the temperature of the hot water has been turned up.

Not a bad idea to go ahead and see what the thermostat is set at. Years ago, my father was carping about always having high electric bills - he blamed it on an inadequately sized heat pump. When I was underneath the house one time installing a house water filter, I popped the cover on the heater and checked the thermostat - it was set at 155 F - had been that way since the house had been built 10 years before. I turned it down to 135 to 140 - still plenty hot enough for anyone and still hot enough to kill all the nasties from the well water. His electric bill dropped by over $50 a month.

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Just say "NO" to Ethanol - Drive Diesel

Mitchell Oates
Mooresville, NC
'87 300D 212K miles
'87 300D 151K miles - R.I.P. 12/08
'05 Jeep Liberty CRD 67K miles
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club

hmm I do wonder if my mom put the temp higher than it previously was after I re lit it.

That's my experience. Once they start to leak, any repair is not likely to last long anyway. Water heaters are not especially long-lived.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

This is what I was thinking. I would try to fix it but would not be surprised if a few months later it has another problem.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Too bad its not electric...I have one of those units over in Brooksville..you could have for 50 bucks. If the T/P valve is leaking...you have impending disaster.. tanks are cheap...swap it out...and dont forget to install 2 die-electric unions .And when you put the gas line back together at the 1/2 in. union ,,,dont forget to put a coat of pipe dope on the mateing surfaces of the union.Die-electric is code "Up North"..Florida does not recognise the International Plumbing code..(They made up their own)- "Southern Code"..When I came down to Fl from Michigan and went to work...their installation proceedures scared me...1/2 the thing they do in Fl , are illegal Up north.Swap it out to be safe.

The lifespan of a water heater seems to depend on what is in the water. I have to replace one tank about every five years. At my house the last heater tank went about twenty five years. Usually when they leak they ae finished. Although I would check the blowoff device carefully if it seems to be the suspect.

The inside of the tanks are coated with liquid glass. Unfortunatly the actual coverage is hit and miss or they would last longer. Basically a throw away item with an almost planned lifespan it seems.

It doesn't sound like the water heater is leaking, just the pipes. You actually want to separate the water heater, which is not copper, from any plumbing which is copper to avoid galvanic action. Nipples are sold precisely for this purpose. They are galvanized pipe on the outside but plastic on the inside to isolate the two metals. If all your piping is pvc, it's not necessary but if you have non-galvanized piping somewhere you want to install an isolating nipple at the tank.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13